The right choice
by Beetlejules
Summary: When darkness takes over, Emma is convinced everyone is using her, the saviour, as a tool to get their happy ending. So she goes down a dark path to never let that happen again. Left with no choice Regina takes on the responsibility to cope with her – and who could understand the concept of being used better than her?
1. Chapter 1

My view on how it could have continued, takes place directly after episode 4x20

Dark Emma, Swanqueen friendship

The right choice

 **Chapter 1**

"I can't leave her, she's pregnant!" Robin desperately repeated. "Besides, I just can't let Roland loose his mother again! These past months have been hard on me, but somehow we managed to work it out and…" He shrugged his shoulders, struggling for an explanation. Regina just stared unbelievingly before she stated without any emotion:

"She is a wicked witch who murdered several people, including your wife, threatened all of as with dead more than once, deceived you to leave town with her so she could seduce you… and yet you do not even consider coming back with me?"

Her former love just frowned and raised his hands helplessly. Without another word, Regina turned around on her heels and made an exit.

"Regina wait!" he called after her. "I-"– "Don't you ever again address one single word at me." She snarled without facing him. Despite her words Robin made an attempt towards her, only to be stopped by Emma who put herself in his way. "I think she made herself very clear." She stated indifferently. "But-" when the man struggled for words again, trying to get past her, Emma clenched her fist, ready to use bare force to hold him back. But Regina's apparently calm voice ended the incident before it could escalate. "Miss Swan. Would you be so kind to accompany me to the car so we can leave this inhospitable place as soon as possible?" With a last look at the miserably man and the smirking woman behind him, Emma nodded and turned her back at the scene.

"What was that about, Miss Swan?" Regina asked, after they left the building. "Your interference was absolutely unnecessary." Emma shrugged her shoulders. "I know. I just wanted you to know, that I got your back in situations like this." The other woman laughed bitterly. "I have been the evil queen – I have handled worse before, so I think I can cope with something like this." After a short pause she softly tapped Emma's arm and added in a more gentle way: "But nevertheless – thank you Emma. I appreciate the attempt." The saviour turned her head in surprise. Had she heard correctly? Had Regina, former evil queen, just been showing her gratitude? Observing her look the brunette snorted indignantly. "Would you stop looking at me like a deaf puppy, Miss Swan! You heard me, I won't repeat myself. And now – drive me home," she ordered, waving her hands while entering the bug. Emma just smiled. Some things just won't change. At least, not in such a short time.

Sitting in the car, where Lily had been waiting, the three women quickly got lost in their own thoughts, Regina no doubt repeating over her last moments with Robin again, trying to understand what had happened, Lily perhaps looking forward to meeting her mother, not sure, what to expect from this reunion. Emma had a bad headache. Since she chased Lily in her bug, nearly shot her for threatening her parents and then kind of reconciled with her, she had something like a dark cloud hanging in her had. Thinking of her parents she soon had to face again and their betrayal didn't do any good, so she tried to concentrate on other things.

"You know," she said, first thing that came to her mind; "Operation mongoose is not over yet." She earned a disapproving look from Regina. "Excuse me Miss Swan?" Emma tried to smile. "Just because Robin may not be your happy end, doesn't mean you won't get one. We will get the author and find you a new one." The brunette sighted. "I can not recall asking you for an opinion or your condolence. But just to make sure next time; I do not require your kind words or charity." Emma rolled her eyes. "Gee, I thought we were past that, Regina. We are friends so let me show a little concern for you once in a while."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

When they crossed the borders of Storybrooke, Regina raised her voice, cutting through the silence. "Time to say goodbye. I have important things to do, spell books to search through, potions to brew. If there is any incident of importance – which I hope there won't be – you can find me at the vault." Before she could dissolve into purple smoke, Emma touched her hand. "You sure you wanna be alone right now? Why don't you come with me to see Henry?" The brunette twisted her mouth into an ironic smile. "Miss Swan, I think I made my point very clear earlier. I don't need your sympathy, and what I really don't require is a babysitter. Go annoy someone else, will you?" And with a wave of her hand she disappeared.

"You really let her go?" Lily piped up from the backseat, first time in a while. Emma looked in the back mirror. "What do you mean?" Her old childhood friend shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. She the evil queen after all. And she lost her lover to her sister. For all I know about her, she might actively be plotting your murder right now." The blonde shook her head. "You don't know her like I do. We've been trough a lot of pretty rough staff together. I trust her. And one thing I know for sure – she doesn't wanna kill me. She told me so herself." Emma laughed a little at the memory. The other woman shrugged her shoulders again. "I don't keep track of the people wanting to destroy your family. All I say is, bloodlust doesn´t vanish that easily. But that's none of my business I guess." Emma frowned. "No, it isn't." Then she attached a smile. "Now, let's get you to your mother."

After Emma had dropped Lily at Granny's for her big reunion with Maleficent, she drove to the peers to meet Henry. He was waiting on a bench, staring at the water. "Hey kid." She greeted him, sitting down beneath him. "Hi mom! Are you gonna tell me what happened on your road trip? Regina isn't answering my phone calls… Did something bad happen? Tell me, please don't hide things from me!" The blonde smiled. "Calm down, Henry, I'll promise to tell you. Here's something I grabbed at Granny's for you." A little more settled the boy took the food and began to eat. Then he started the questioning. "So did you find Lily?" Emma nodded. "And she came back with you? To meet her mother? Mooom…" He said, impatient as ever, "don't make me tear everything out of you!" His mother sighted. Bad headache and a merciless interrogation. How did she deserve all of that? "Yes, we found Lily and yes we brought her here. Right now she's with Maleficent. Surprisingly she already knew about the whole fairy tail stuff going on here…" – "Aaand what about Zelena and Robin…?" Henry rushed her. "Well that… didn't go as planned." – "Meaning?" – "Zelena's…pregnant and Robin refused to leave her." – "Oh no!" – "Uhu." – "I bet that was horrible for mom…" – "You tell me, kid." – "How did she take it?" Emma smiled. "Well you know your mother. With the indignant grace of a queen she walked out on Robin, never to see him again." Henry was silent for a moment. "But… how can he do that? I mean, after all it's Zelena were talking about, right? The wicked witch of the west? He can't choose her over my mother! And what about her happy ending?" He paused again and then quickly went on: "I think we can find a new one for her. Operation Mongoose isn't over yet!" His mother smiled, when she heard her son using the same words she had said to Regina a short while ago. "That's what I told her too. Maybe you should try; maybe she'll listen to you…" Henry, done with his meal, nodded. "That's a great idea mom. I think I'll go find her and give her a moral uplift. I'm sure she's at the vault… Bye mom!" And off he ran. "Wow, Henry… He's gone. Now it's just me. Whatever... have had worse company than that."

She continued to sit there and let the fresh air work against her headache. In her mind she went over the past weeks and what had happened to her. Her parents' confession really had shaken her trust. If heroes didn't act like they're supposed to do… And the revelation that she was the key to change the villains´ destiny made her feel…uneasy about herself. And when she killed Cruella – no, not kill. She had done what had been necessary to safe Henry. But after this incident she had never been feeling quite well with herself again. The look her parents gave her, when they arrived at the scene… Reproachful, disappointed. It had made her angry, she didn't know exactly why. After all she had always done for them they were so easily disapproving of her, when something didn't go their way. Nice way showing your gratitude, really, thank you very much. As if they had always chosen the right path… She snorted, shaking her head in anguish. Not helpful against her headache, these thoughts. Maybe she'd be better of at home, where she could take a shower or a painkiller or something…


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

When Emma climbed the stairs to Snow's apartment, lost deep in her thoughts, she suddenly stopped. All alarm bells were ringing, when she saw the scratches on the lock on the front door, implying an incursion. As if that hadn't been enough, the door had been left ajar. Very tensed she slowly pushed it open without making any noise. Maybe the one responsible for it would still be in there…?

Peeking around the corner, there was no possibility to misunderstand the case. There she was. With a dagger in her hand, standing over baby Neal's cradle. In an instant she had drawn her gun, pointing at the figure threatening her little brother's life.

"Lily!" Emma shouted out. "What the hell are you doing?!" Lily looked at her with a casual glance. "I told you that bloodlust doesn't vanish that easily. I want my revenge." Emma just stared. "But – what about your mother? Didn't you talk to her?" The other woman snorted. "Yeah. Sure. My mother. She didn't want to talk about revenge. Said we should look into the future instead of hanging in the past. Easy for her to say. She hasn't been used as a vessel by your parents and sent away into another realm, damned to always make the wrong decisions." She smiled unhappy. "I guess you could say I was kind of disappointed. She was nothing like I imagined her, a strong, unforgiving dragon bitch, keen on revenge…Anyway, I ran off and decided to get vengeance on my own. Finding out where Snow White and prince Charming live wasn't very hard in a town like this. So I come in here and what do I see? My perfect chance to get back at the two kidnappers. This time it's gonna be them, mourning a lost child."

Emma couldn't trust her ears. This was her childhood friend? Whom she had laughed with, played video games with and trusted for the first time in her life? Now attempting to kill Neal? No, she could avoid that at least.

"Step away from the cradle and drop the knife." She ordered with a cold voice. "What are you gonna do?" the other woman asked amused. "I know you won't shoot me. You didn't have it in you last time, why should you now?" Emma gritted her teeth. What was it with that headache? Back now, stronger than ever, she didn't even get Lily's words properly. Something about…last time? On the street? Yes, why hadn't she shoot her back then? If she had done that, her little brother's life wouldn't be on the line right now. "I should have." She managed to say. "And right now, I will." Lily laughed bitterly. "As if. You are a hero and here's the thing. Heroes all have a weakness, they can't-"

A bang. Emma had fired the gun. "Can't what? Kill someone? I already did." Her headache seamed to ease now, the dark cloud wasn't bothering her anymore. Ignoring the corpse of her enemy, she made her way to Baby Neal, who was crying at the top of his lungs. Her feet touched something and she bent over to pick it up. Lily's knife.

HEmma didn´t remember, er headache was coming back, stronger than ever. This was worse from killing Cruella. But what differed? Both deeds were done to save an innocent child. She had done the right thing, hadn't she? Acted like a saviour. A saviour." Staring back from the dagger in her hands to her little brothers crib, she was so entranced in her own thoughts, she didn't even jump, when suddenly the door sprang open and her parents burst into the room. Looking at Emma, the corpse to her feet, standing with a knife over baby Neal's crib, Snow cried: "Emma! What are you doing?!" Slowly she turned her head. She knew that tone in her mother's voice. She had heard it before. When she had lost control over her power and accidentally hurt David, Mary Margaret had sounded exactly the same. Matching her expression, as Emma now realized. Accusingly, condemning, enraged, but also – scared. _So here we are again?_ She thought to herself. _After all I did for you, everything risked and endured for you? Just a dagger in my hands, even in defence of your own child, and you look at me like I'm the devil's sprout and not your own daughter?_ "Emma." David interrupted her thoughts. "Go away from the baby. Put the knife down. Move slowly." The saviour didn't move, too many thoughts racing to her brain. _Really? That's it? Me rescuing your son and you labelling me as evil? Really nice to know you guys trust me that much. As long as I am your curse- breaking saviour and admired hero everything's okay, but as soon as there's just a possibility of me becoming evil you drop me like a hot potato, getting scared, loose your trust in me? You don't even deserve my saving, after all you did, you are not even heroes!_

"Step away from the baby!" Snow repeated angrily, bending the bow she somehow suddenly had in her hands. Charming was raising his sword. That was the last straw to break the camels back. Suddenly the cloud was gone and Emma felt better than any other time, after she had killed Cruella. She made her choice, her headache disappeared. "Well if this isn't my beloved parents, Mr and Mrs Charming in person. The biggest heroes in town." She laughed bitterly. "So you might think. After all you did – I don't believe you are deserving of your happy ending any more. I won't let you use my powers ever again." After a short pause she added: "And I will reverse every little thing you have come to achieve since I first arrived in this town. - don't you even dare!" She hissed at Snow, who was aiming her bow now directly at Emma. "I will start – with this." The blonde laughed nastily, teleporting the baby into her arms with a little wink of her hands. Then she disappeared in a cloud of smoke. "See you soon."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"I came as fast as I could." Regina stated, walking into the Charmings´ apartment. "I really do hope for your own sake it's important. I've really been engaged at my vault, so make it short. What it so important that you couldn't tell me on the phone? And why shouldn't I bring Henry?" David and MM exchanged short glances. How to start? "It's about Emma." Snow said and Regina snorted. "Isn't it always about her? What trouble did your daughter get herself in this time?" David shook his head. "She killed Lily and kidnapped Neal. She no longer is at our side, I'm afraid. She turned evil and we need to stop her." An unbelieving smile on her lips Regina turned to Mary Margaret. "She did what?" The woman looked at the floor. "Shot Lily, threatened us to take away our happy endings and disappeared in purple smoke with our son under her arm."

The former evil queen could not help herself to smile appreciatively. "My, my, who would have thought Miss Swan had such style being evil? I'm impressed!" – "Regina!" Having at least the decency to look ashamed, the brunette added a short: "Sorry." She then cleared her throat, looking at the weapons on the table.

"As usual you seem to prove yourself being the worst parents ever." She stated in a matter of fact tone. "I can't imagine Emma told you about Lily's villainous intentions when we first met her? To find you and make you pay for what you did to her?" The Charmings´ eyes grew bigger with every word the queen said. Sighting she continued. "I had to swear to Miss Swan not to mention any of it in Storybrooke, to give Lily a fresh start without any your prejudice." With a disapproving glance at the two people standing next to her, she added. "At least not more than you already would have simply because she was Maleficent´s daughter… Anyway, this is what actually must have happened: Emma came in here, found Lily trying to kill/ steal/ whatever her little brother. She saved him by really shooting her this time. She went to calm down the baby or whatever when the two fools of you rushed in, jumped to conclusions and threatened her to leave." Regina stopped for a moment.

"Wow. That sounds retarded, even for your standards. Maybe throwing Emma into the wardrobe wasn't such a bad idea after all." Snow gaped. "But – but what are we supposed to do now? We have to find her, have to apologize, we-"– "You," Regina interrupted coldly "won't do anything. Don't you think you've done enough for one day?" She sighted unnerved. "As usually, I will take care of it and clean up after your mess. I might even have an idea where to look for her…" She disappeared into purple smoke.

Emma was watching the little town from high above. Everyone was walking around happily. Happy because of the happy ending Emma brought back for them. People like her parents. Undeserving fools. Feeling the presence of another person she didn't turn around, instead just addressed the intruder.

"If it isn't the former evil queen, lap dog to the Charmings by now, ordered to get back little Neal." She turned around. "He's not here. I wouldn't make it that easy."

Regina raised her eyebrows, taking in Emma's new appearance. Black. Black leather jacket, black jeggins, everything black. "Look who found his way into my old closet." She joked, a part of her honestly amused. What was it with villains and the colour black? "You know Miss Swan I could have told you earlier how suiting the colour black is. And if I didn't know you better I would be flattered by the attempt to copy me. But that is not the reason I went to see you." She added with a serious face. "I know the two idiots you call parents got the wrong end of the stick as usual. I told them the truth, so would you stop playing the misunderstood villain now?"

Emma smiled at her words. "I'm afraid you don't get it. It's not about what happened earlier. I'm sick of it. I'm going to end it." Regina frowned. "Well pardon me Miss Swan but I am not sure what we're talking about. What are you sick of? Being accused for-" – "I'm sick of being the saviour. Being used by everyone to get the happy ending they don't deserve. So I will take it from them." – "And how are planning to achieve that? You sure have magic, but right now you're not even stronger than me." – "Oh there's a person powerful enough. You know who I'm talking about. And you can be sure I could take you out if I wanted. But you're not part of my plan, so I'll spare you."

Regina turned up her mouth. "What the hell is going on with you Miss Swan? Are you serious? Controlling Rumpelstiltskin to take away everyone's happy ending? Like that never went wrong before… Not that it wouldn't make a fine plan - except for the fact that you are no villain and you sure are not able to dominate the Dark One."- "Nice to see the former evil queen being impressed by my idea. But don't be misled; I'm not planning on controlling Rumpelstiltskin. I will kill him and become the next Dark One. So I won't be the saviour anymore and no one will ever use my powers again. Then they will have a reason for fearing me."

The former evil queen raised her eyebrows. "I can't believe I am the one to say this, but I won't allow you to destroy anyone's happiness. And I surely won't let you become the dark one." Emma laughed, this time honestly amused. "We've come a long way since my first day in Storybrooke… But it doesn't matter, Regina, I will stick to my plan, so keep out of my way and you won't get hurt." The brunette grinned mockingly. "I have never been the one to be intimidated by idle threats." – "You'd better been this time, because it wasn't." Emma responded while throwing her magic against the other woman.

But Regina had had her guard up, so she could counter with her own magic. When the energy met in the middle of the room, it combined itself instead of clashing and none of the both was able to overthrow the other. "Seems like we better work together than against each other." Regina remarked through gritted teeth. "You made very clear on which side you are in this conflict… So frankly I don't believe that this… matters anymore." Emma gave back, gasping for air. Not able to come to a clear result, the two women stopped fighting. "Let's call it a draw, but you won't get away that easily next time." The blonde announced ominously as she disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. "We really have to talk about these corny cliché statements next time…" Regina answered, rolling her eyes, disappearing herself.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Walking straight into Granny's, Emma looked over the tables until she found what she had been looking for. "Hi Emma… Uh, is there anything I can bring you?" Ruby greeted her friend, slightly irritated by her choice of clothing today. " Ruby… Leave me alone; go walk your self or whatever." Emma responded in a dull voice. Red was taken aback. "What has happened? You awfully sound like Regina today…" The blonde turned to her with a dark look on her face. "I won't give you a second warning, wolf girl, so get lost…" Aghast, Ruby took a few steps back and turned around. While Emma made her way to a certain person's table, Red tipped a short text to Snow.

 _Emma's here._

 _Something's wrong._

 _Come asap._

The blonde let herself fell on the seat across from the other woman, who looked up. "Oh, hey Emma. Is there something I can help you with? You look troubled." Emma smirked. "Hello there Belle. I'm glad you're asking. In fact, there is something you can do for me." With these words, she bent over and ripped her heart out. Belle gasped. With a little smile on her face, Emma started to explain.

"You will call your husband. You will make an appointment in the woods, where no one can see you. And you will make him give you his dagger. Then you will give the dagger to me. And when I kill him you will be the first one to watch his happy ending reversed."

The door flew open. "Emma!" Snow and Charming shouted in unison. "Emma, it's okay, we know the truth. Please forgive us and stop acting all crazy." After a short look at the scenery they added: "And give Belle back her heart, will you? Regina told us your plan, this is absolutely insane!" Completely ignoring her parent's entrance, Emma looked at Belle. "Go." The other woman nodded and made her way to the door, when David stepped into her way. "I won't allow this. Belle stay in here, you-" With a sway of her hand Emma pushed her father out of the way, so Belle could leave. Snow was looking unbelievingly at her daughter. "Emma! How dare you attack your father!" – "Look who's talking." Emma answered and gazed upon her mother, eyes cold as ice. "You want your share? Go ahead. Make me do it." Mary Margaret took a step back, uncertain what to do, when Emma smiled, raising her hand to form a ball of magic. "That's right. I'm in charge now. And I'm gonna destroy your happy ending. First step, Neal's disappearance. Second step- well I haven't thought about it properly, but a little violence can't be all wrong, don't you think?"

Laughing she darted the magic upon her mother, when suddenly Regina appeared in front of Snow, pushing it away with a wink of her hand. Looking angrily at Emma she stated: "I can't believe you just made me do that! Jump in front of Snow White to safe her. This is something I wasn't ever planning to do." Turning to Mary Margaret and David she explained. "I actually found something in that book. It looks like it hasn't been entirely your fault, Emma turning to the darkness. When she destroyed the vessel, containing her dark potential, it made it's way back to it's rightful owner. And with all that's been going on right now like her parents keeping secrets and looking at her like a volcano about to explode it's a sure bet to say she had no choice but giving in." Emma looked unimpressed at the sudden revelation. "So what. Who cares? When I have corrupted your happy ending, there will be other thinks for you to take care of. I am not even mad at you." – "But I am mad at you. To be precisely, I am absolutely furious and you will pay for what you did!"

Once again the door had been pushed open, this time to reveal a really angry Maleficent. "You killed her." She said, tears in her eyes. "You killed my little girl!" Emma rolled her eyes. "Why don't you just line up with everyone else trying to make me responsible for their happy ending respectively their failing in getting one? You knew her for what, like 5 minutes? Get over it, lady! Oh who would've thought that, looks like a job for the saviour." She just grumbled, when Maleficent started to change. With an unnerved look at here parents she added: "See it as my last gift to you. The last time you get to use my powers to save your asses. I'll only help you now so I can destroy you later myself." Then she ran outside to face the dragon. Pushing a stream of magic against her didn't work as well as she thought when Maleficent just shook it off. "Damn. I killed you once before, I can kill you now!" She shouted at the monster, hastily jumping aside, when she breathed fire against her. That was a close one. With a little less luck she would have been coal by now. "Let's try it again! I only got this chance!" She whispered through gritted teeth. Magic clashing against fire. Emma tried hard to hold it up, but the second the two beams met, she knew that she couldn't be a match for the angry dragon lady. Desperate and angry she tried her best to hold against it, but it was only a matter of time until she would have to give in.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Regina approaching. "Always overestimating yourself, Swan. I guess stupidity won't change, no matter which side you're on." Emma wasn't sure if the comment was meant for her or just Regina talking to herself, but when the brunette suddenly appeared at her side, throwing her magic against Maleficent it only took them a short moment to drive the dragon away. Both women fell down to the earth, panting. After a short while Emma stated with a dark side glance: "I could have handled this by myself. Your interference was absolutely unnecessary." Regina rolled her eyes. "Sure... I just wanted you to know, that I got your back in situations like this." She answered in a mocking tone. The blonde turned away. "This doesn´t change anything. I'll be pursuing my plans." Then she disappeared.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Emma had sent Belle away after getting the dagger with her help. "Gold, you sure have a soft spot in that black heart of yours." She sneered. "Even though you won't be around to witness, be assured that the revenge I am planning will affect your wife as well. No one will ever use me to their own advantage when I am the dark one." – "Oh deary, now you're making mountains out of molehills. Why don't we instead join forces? With you as a dark saviour and the author who is under my control we can get everything we ever wanted. And I'd say the darkness really suits you, Miss Swan. Give me back my dagger and let the two of us get the happy ending we deserve and cra-" With a snap Emma had Gold silenced and bound to the ground. "Not. Interested. The only thing I'm craving for is misery for all those who ever benefitted by using me." She heard someone break trough the trees and sighted. "Here comes the cavalry." She whispered, when the other person finally came into sight.

"Miss Swan, your plans seems to progress quite well." Regina stated matter of fact. Eyes not leaving the body pinned down on the ground, Emma answered. "What do you want Regina." The other woman sighted. "To be honest I'm here to give to the heroic hope speech everyone's always so eager about. Seems like I'm acting a little out of character today. Trying to retain everyone's happy ending, rescuing Snow, giving you a talk about hope." Emma looked up. "Well it kind of suits you. In a way, you like being the hero, admit it." Regina smiled. "I have to confess, it is kind of… compelling. But honestly, Emma, do you really want to do this? Everything you have done today can be reversed, you didn't do much damage. But if you cross this line there won't be a way out. You did help your parents earlier, and even under the pretence of sparing them for later, I know you didn't want them dead. I have been there too – letting a foe escape under false excuses, just because I was not able to hurt him at that moment. And may I remind you of something really important? What will Henry say, when I have to tell him his other mother turned evil?"

Emma flinched at her words. There it was, the argument she had feared most. Henry. She took a deep breath. "When I am the dark one, I will reverse everyone's happy ending. But that doesn't include our son. What about…" She smiled. "…a deal?" – "Not yet the dark one, but already in the mood for deals…" Regina muttered. "Do go on." – "I will let you and Henry move away, unharmed. Everyone else must stay here and bear my revenge." – "Well my dear, I'm truly flattered by your suggestion of excluding the two of us from your vengeance, but I'm afraid I can't let this happen as I told you before. Henry would be devastated, after he so hard tried to persuade one of his mothers to join the heroes when his other mother would turn dark, wouldn't he." The brunette stated with a chuckle. "Would you please once again walk me trough the reasons behind your intention? Maybe I could explain them to our son after all of this."

Emma sighted. "I guess it won't do any harm explaining. I'm simply being sick of being the saviour – which seems to equal being used by everyone. I've been used all of my life. My parents used me to assure there happy ending. They even made adjustments before I was born, so I would serve my purpose. Even before I really was born, I had a destiny to fulfil. Then they threw me into a wardrobe to who- knew-where just so they would get what they wanted. There own child, how sick is this? Rumpelstiltskin used me as bait against you the moment I walked into the city and as a key to break the curse, so he could go find his son. Now he and his queens of darkness want to use me so they can get their happy endings. Even Elsa and Anna used me to get their happy ending back. Even Henry went to get me, so I would defeat the evil queen and break the curse, do my duty, let myself get used. In fact, everyone in this town is using me to get what they want, because what else am I there for? I am the saviour. I've always been just the means to an end. A tool to fix things. Your happy ending is broken? No problem, here's the saviour to fix it, feel free to use him! And if something goes wrong, the second I make one bad decision or if it just looks like I could get out of control my parents drop me like a broken tool – oh, the saviour doesn't work how he's supposed to do, you think we can get a new one?" Emma ended, her voice trembling with indignation. Regina was silent for a moment.

"As the one person in town who instantly wanted to get rid of you the second you appeared on the scene and therefore to have obviously never been using you to any means, may I probably have earned 5 minutes to talk to you before you finish becoming the next dark one?" Regina suggested with a half smile. Emma paused and after a short consideration she answered. "Fine. 5 minutes, but it won't change my opinion. What do you know about being used by anyone all your life?" The former evil queen laughed bitterly. "Oh come on Miss Swan, as if you were the only person on earth who had ever been used by other people. May I remind you that my own mother had and has always been using me to gain more power? Killing my fiancé, marrying me to a king, just so she could be the ruler behind the curtain. She even once tried to fool me into getting pregnant so that she could get rid of me and control my child instead. Not that I had given her the chance… Anyway, our common friend Rumpelstiltskin used me to cast the spell, so that he could come to this world, and as I heard from a certain hatter, he even fooled me into thinking my dead fiancé could come back from the dead so the disappointment when it didn't work would crush what was left of softness and goodness in my heart. And – I'll be honest – even Henry used me to help you with Operation Cobra, when I recall for example an appointment at Granny's so you could sneak into my office. Snow's father just used me as a better baby sitter, without caring for me the least. And now MM uses me as undercover spy on the queens of darkness."

Regina stopped for a moment, looking at Emma with arched eyebrows. "So don't you tell me something about being used, Miss Swan. I have had my fair share of it too. But do you now what? I don't mind being used by your mother for spying. The night she told me her secret, I could have easily run off to tell you, to make you angry with her, to pay her back what she once did to me. So we would finally be even. But I didn't. Because in that moment, I knew what the right thing to do was. And I made the choice, to do so. Not so that Snow would be grateful - honestly I couldn't care about her opinion less - not even to make Henry proud of me and admire me as a hero." She stopped and smiled into the woods. "Not for anyone but myself. Because I wanted to." Then she looked into Emma's eyes. "And that, Emma, is the point. You don't help people, because they ask you to do so. You don't save them, because this is your job as a saviour. You don't play the hero so that your family is happy with you. You do it, because you know what's right. Because someone has to do it, and you are one of the few people strong enough to do so."

The darkness in Emma's eyes seemed to vanish a little, hearing Regina's words, but maybe she just imagined that, when the blonde looked to the side. "You may be right. But my parents-" - "When you were in the apartment you saved your little brother because it needed to be done. And it doesn't matter what your parents thought, walking in on you with a dagger. You did what was right, so why care about what anyone else is thinking?" She put her hands on Emma's shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. "Do you understand what I am trying to tell you? This is not about everyone else – this is about you. Your own choice." First Emma tried to avoid eye contact, but Regina's piercing look found it's way. When their eyes met, it seemed as if the darkness melted away, out of Emma's expression and her mangled heart. Blinking, as if she had just woken up, the woman gasped. "What… what did just happen? Was that…was I… really one step away from becoming the dark one? And how – with what kind of magic did you persuade me – to stop?" The other woman put her hands down. "Sometimes the best magic is a talk from heart to heart. Ugh." She shuddered, realizing her words. "Can't believe I just said that. I really need a break from this heroic behaviour… Now, be a good girl, give Belle back her heart and while we're still in possession of it do the same with the dagger."

After attending to the orders, surprising a really stunned Belle with the two gifts, the two women were on their way back, first in silence, until Emma raised her voice.

"I wish we could just, you know, make everyone forget about the whole incident." she ruefully remarked. Regina smiled, knowing the feeling exactly. "You wish. But you know you can't, because-" – "I know it isn't the right thing to do…" Emma interrupted with a guilty grin. "Can we at least walk back instead of teleporting? I need a little time…" Regina nodded and the two women walked in on. "You know what, your interference was absolutely necessary." Emma stated in an unusually timid voice. "I couldn't have coped with this alone." Regina snorted. "Well, be assured, that I do know that Miss Swan." Then she added: "And you should know that I got your back in situations like this." – "Well, thank you, I… appreciate it, Regina." She softly tapped the other woman's arm. Regina answered with a little smile. "Anytime, Emma. Anytime."


End file.
